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'She cannot get out of that lease'

Alistair Macdonald, representing licence-holder Narinder Singh in her absence, said his client was an “unwilling participant” in the problems experienced at the shop.

He said: “Whatever control Mrs Singh had on these premises, I think Sergeant Young would agree, it is long gone. She has very little influence with what happens in the shop. She finds it very difficult to deal with her husband. What he decides to do, happens.

“It’s completely inappropriate for these premises to continue to sell alcohol. The premises have been for sale for some time. I have spoken to my own clients if they were interested in it, but they weren’t, in part because of the reputation it has.

“She cannot get out of that lease – she’s genuinely trying but is coming up against a brick wall. If it was not longer possible to sell alcohol, the value of the business would drop.”

He added: “She’s a really nice lady and not a willing participant in any of this, but she’s the licence holder and has to take responsibility for what her husband has done.

“I would be suggesting that rather than a revocation, we have a suspension immediately until the business is sold or the lease is assigned to another party.”

And councillor Steve Burgess appealed for a long-term suspension, in order to help the business be sold.

He added: “It’s not going to help this situation if we revoke it.

“If it was suspended for five years, that would surely be enough time to sell a premises with a suspended licence in place and a new operator would have to come back to the board to ask for the licence suspension to be lifted.”

But Cllr Cathy Fullerton said:”I have a great deal of sympathy for Mrs Singh.

“When the premises are sold, the new owners can come to this committee and ask for a new premises licence.”

Councillors agreed to revoke the premises licence to sell alcohol and Mrs Singh will appear in front of the board to review her personal licence.

Sergeant Young added: “We are committed to ensuring any business operating with a licence is doing so lawfully and any criminal offences or breaches of licensing conditions, which are identified, will be appropriately dealt with.”